Mobile menu toggle

Fountain of Youth explodes onto Apple TV+ [Now playing!]

By

Fountain of Youth movie poster
Don’t head for a theater — Fountain of Youth is now on Apple TV+!
Image: Apple TV+

The adventure film Fountain of Youth just hit Apple TV+. It stars John Krasinski and Natalie Portman in a dangerous hunt for the legendary spring with the power to restore the lost youth of anyone who drinks from it. The adventure borrows from classics such as Indiana Jones and National Treasure.

It’s one of summer 2025’s most-anticipated films. Watch the two trailers to get a taste of the excitement, or dive in and watch now!

Trump threatens 25% tariff on iPhones not made in US

By

President Donald Trump and Apple CEO Tim Cook
President Trump threatened Apple CEO Tim Cook with an iPhone-specific tariff.
Illustration: ChatGPT

President Donald Trump renewed his call on Friday that the iPhone be made in the United States, and threatened Apple with a special 25% tariff if the device gets assembled anywhere else.

Previously, Apple seemed caught up in Trump’s trade war with China, as so many of its products are assembled there. But now Trump’s ire turned specifically on Apple, causing him to threaten import taxes on its products alone.

Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs attempts a boardroom coup

By

Jobs
Sadly for Steve Jobs, things didn't work in his favor.
Photo: Esther Dyson/Flickr CC

May 23: Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs attempts a boardroom coup May 23, 1985: Bitter about being ousted from his position running the Macintosh division, Steve Jobs attempts to stage a boardroom coup to seize control of Apple from CEO John Sculley.

The 30-year-old Apple co-founder plans to overthrow Sculley while the CEO is away on a business trip in China. Unfortunately for Jobs, he makes a critical mistake when he tries to recruit the support of Apple executive Jean-Louis Gassée, who informs Sculley of the plot.

It’s the beginning of the end for Jobs’ first tenure at Apple.

What to expect in iOS 19: Rumors point to design overhaul

By

What to expect in iOS 19
It amounts to a big update.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

Rumors swirling ahead of WWDC25 give us a decent idea about what to expect in iOS 19. The new operating system, which Apple will showcase when its annual developer conference kicks off June 9, shapes up as one of the more significant iPhone software updates lately.

The iOS 19 overhaul promises to transform how users interact with their devices through big design changes, enhanced AI capabilities and improved cross-platform integration.

Apple fast-tracks its smart glasses for 2026 launch

By

Apple Smart Glasses concept
Apple smart glasses will surely be more stylish than this concept.
AI Concept: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

Apple wants to release its first entry in the emerging smart glasses category in 2026, according to information leaking out of the company Thursday. That’s a more aggressive launch window than previously rumored.

The AI-powered device reportedly will be able to handle many of the tasks people turn to an iPhone for now, and compete with the popular Ray-Ban Meta Glasses.

Cherry next-gen keyboard switches target battery efficiency

By

Cherry next-gen keyboard switches
Cherry unveiled four new keyboard switch products this week.
Photo: Cherry

Keyboard manufacturer Cherry makes a significant push into smart switch technology with four new products debuting at Computex 2025 this week. The new switches for keyboards offer particular appeal to Apple users who prioritize wireless connectivity and battery efficiency in their peripherals.

Make battery-hogging apps like Spotify better with DIY web apps

By

Web apps that don’t suck
Suck away battery life, that is.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

There are a bunch of not-great apps like Spotify and Slack that suck battery life, because they basically run a full copy of Google Chrome inside each window. Chrome is a notorious energy hog, and running multiple copies of its Blink engine inside four different apps can take unnecessary memory and resources.

But you can create your own, much better versions using web apps based on Safari. Web apps are easily made in Safari and live in your Mac’s Dock.

For apps that you use every day, like Spotify, Discord and Slack, it’s easier to launch them from the Dock and move them around separately from your browser tabs. Let me show you how they work.

Dump that HDMI cable for this easy-to-use wireless video transmitter [Review] ★★★★

By

Nyrius Orion Prime wireless video transmitter review★★★★
Replace that bulky HDMI cable with a wireless video transmitter.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Nyrius Orion Prime Wireless USB-C to HDMI Video Transmitter & Receiver frees you from needing to string an HDMI cable across your office or living room. Plug one gizmo into your MacBook, iPad, or iPhone, and another into your TV, and they’re connected.

The wireless adapter sends HD video a surprising distance and doesn’t require a Wi-Fi network.

I tested the wireless video transmitter out for myself and came away impressed. That said, it does have a limitation that makes it better for entertainment than work.

Today in Apple history: Newton spins off as its own company

By

The Newton MessagePad 2000 brought many upgrades to Apple's doomed PDA line.
Things were looking up for the Newton MessagePad. Until they weren't.
Photo: iFixit

May 22: Today in Apple history: Apple spins off Newton Inc. May 22, 1997: Apple spins off its Newton division, creating an independent company to manage the line of personal digital assistants. Newton Inc.’s first job? Selling the MessagePad 2000 PDA, the best Newton device yet.

Apple also gave Newton Inc. a mandate to develop new technologies and market existing ones. “We have a solid business plan and a strong management team in place to optimize the value of Newton technology for corporate users and take Newton technology into a new era,” says Sandy Benett, former vice president of Apple’s Newton Systems Group and chief operating officer of the new venture.

Instead, it turns out to be the beginning of the end for the ahead-of-its-time Apple PDA.

New details leak about Sam Altman and Jony Ive’s coming ‘AI companions’

By

Ben Geskin rendering of OpenAI-io device
Ben Geskin posted this image of a possible AI companion device on X.com in response to Ming Chi-Kuo's post.
Photo: BenGeskin/X.com

In an OpenAI meeting Wednesday, CEO Sam Altman revealed ambitious plans to develop AI-powered devices in partnership with former Apple design chief Jony Ive, targeting the release of 100 million “AI companion” devices that could reshape how users interact with artificial intelligence, according to a new report.

Altman described it to employees as a “chance to do the biggest thing we’ve ever done as a company.” OpenAI’s acquisition of Ive’s io startup is the company’s boldest hardware venture yet, potentially creating the first major alternative to smartphone and computer dominance.

And on Thursday, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo weighed in with possible details about OpenAI’s wearable device.

Master generative AI and the code behind it with these courses

By

Drawing of person teaching generative AI courses
Learn generative AI with this hugely discounted course bundle.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Large language models, machine learning and similar tools all fall under the broad label of AI. However, they require different approaches if you want to make effective use of them. The 2025 Generative AI & ChatGPT Master Course Bundle sets you up with five courses that take you from the coding fundamentals through integrating these tools into your development workflow.

Right now, you can learn everything you need to know about these powerful tools with these generative AI courses for less than $20.

Will Jony Ive’s secret new AI products kill Apple? Doubtful.

By

AI-generated image of Jony Ive and Sam Altman with a next-gen AI device.
An AI-generated image of Jony Ive and Sam Altman with a next-gen AI device.
AI image: Grok/Cult of Mac

Will Jony Ive and Sam Altman’s new partnership dethrone Apple? A lot of people seem to think that in a battle of OpenAI vs. Apple, the iPhone maker is on borrowed time.

Looking at social media, the hype about OpenAI’s acquisition of Ive’s startup io is off the charts. Many pundits predict doom for Apple, which is already widely assumed to be woefully behind in AI. Apple’s stock took a big dive on the news of OpenAI’s acquisition of Ive’s secret company Wednesday.

But I highly doubt that Ive and Altman will topple Apple from its throne. Apple still has massive advantages — and they’re perhaps unassailable. Here’s why.

This deluxe chair does it all — back support, massages, naps and more

By

Photo of a woman sitting in LiberNovo Omni chair.
The tricked-out LiberNovo Omni chair moves the way you do for comfortable support, no matter what you're doing.
Photo: LiberNovo

The new LiberNovo Omni office chair isn’t just ergonomic — it’s dynamic, responsive and built to understand how you move. With a motorized mechanism that supports your back, four positions (up to a full recline) and a built-in massage function, it’s a new way of sitting that’s actually good for you, according to its makers.

“We didn’t set out to build a chair,” says LeYan, founder and CEO of LiberNovo. “We set out to fix sitting.”

You can preorder the amazingly responsive chair at a $50 discount off the Super Early Bird Kickstarter price starting Wednesday at 7 p.m. Pacific time.

Jony Ive, Sam Altman tease mysterious prototype as OpenAI buys io

By

OpenAI buys io
This image appeared above the project announcement on OpenAI.com
Photo: OpenAI

Former Apple design chief Jony Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman posted a video and statement Wednesday teasing a mysterious AI hardware prototype that will apparently come within a year as OpenAI buys io, Ivy’s fledgling device company, for nearly $6.5 billion in an all-stock deal.

“Jony recently gave me one of the prototypes of the device for the first time to take home, and I’ve been able to live with it,” Altman says in the video. “And I think it is the coolest piece of technology that the world will have ever seen.”

Trouble is, their video and statement are more like love-fests to each other and the San Francisco Bay Area than they are sources of information about what to expect from actual products — as in what earlier reports called “the iPhone of artificial intelligence.”

Today in Apple history: Apple’s ‘Get a Mac’ campaign comes to an end

By

Mac vs. PC
This was one of the best ad campaigns in Apple history.
Photo: Apple

May 21: Today in Apple history: Apple's Get a Mac ad campaign comes to an end May 21, 2010: Apple quietly ends its award-winning “Get a Mac” ad campaign. Debuting in 2006, the ads starred actor Justin Long as the cool, youthful Mac. Comedian John Hodgman portrayed the stuffy, awkward PC.

Alongside the “Think Different” and iPod “Silhouette” campaigns, “Get a Mac” will become one of the most fondly remembered extended advertising blitzes in Apple history.

Elgato brings Virtual Stream Deck to Mac screens and beyond

By

Elgato Virtual Stream Deck
Elgato's new Virtual Stream Deck will let you put control right on your Mac's screen.
Photo: Elgato/Corsair

Elgato, the Corsair-owned maker of popular content creation tools, announced a major expansion of its Stream Deck ecosystem Tuesday with a new “Stream Deck Everywhere” strategy unveiled at Computex. It includes four significant innovations designed to make the customizable control interface accessible to more users and workflows beyond its traditional creator audience. And that includes a Virtual Stream Deck you can put right on your Mac’s screen.

Jump on this Powerbeats Pro 2 deal to save on Apple’s most intense earbuds

By

Man holding a basketball while wearing Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 wireless earbuds, used to illustrate a deal on refurbished models.
These sporty earbuds won't fall out of your ears.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds are the real deal: They’re what happens when Apple’s AirPods tech meets Beats’ workout DNA. Designed with athletes in mind, they feature built-in heart rate monitors and secure-fit earhooks made of nickel-titanium alloy.

The earhooks mean they’re not budging, no matter how hard your opponent (or your playlist) hits. Plus, they’re 20% lighter than the previous model and IPX4-rated sweat and water-resistant. Packed with these features and more, the earbuds list for $249.99. But right now you can grab pair of refurbished Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds in grade-A condition for just $169.99.

How to hide your secret photos in the iPhone’s Photos app

By

Don’t Let Anyone See
Keep your photos locked up like Fort Knox.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

You can easily hide photos and videos on your iPhone to keep secret and/or illicit images out of your main Photos library library. Hiding items from the camera roll makes sure nobody except you can see your embarrassing pictures, salacious nudes or old selfies with your ex.

Apple introduced the Hidden photo album years ago in iOS 8. But after Apple redesigned the Photos app in iOS 18, you can no longer find it at the bottom of the Albums tab — because the tab bar is gone.

Here’s what hiding photos does to your iPhone, how you can do stash those incriminating or mortifying pix, and where to find them.

Gemini Live brings camera and screen sharing to iPhone

By

Gemini Live mockup on iPhone
Gemini Live will get a lot more powerful on the iPhone.
Photo: ChatGPT

Gemini Live gets better on the iPhone, with Google rolling out free camera and screen sharing support to all users.

The feature allows you to feed a live stream of your surroundings using the iPhone’s camera, and interact with Gemini to get more information about it.

Surprise! Fortnite returns to the US iPhone App Store

By

Fortnite iPhone is back!
The long, long wait ends. Fortnite is back in the App Store.
Image: Epic Games/Cult of Mac

Fortnite can once again be installed on iPhones and iPads in the United States, developer Epic Games announced triumphantly on Tuesday. The very popular game is back in the U.S. App Store.

The change comes almost five years after Apple banned the battle royale game in a spat with Epic over in-app payments.

Save 14% in a sweet Apple Magic Mouse deal

By

Apple Magic Mouse deal
There is a rare chance to save on an official Apple mouse for your Mac or iPad.
Image: Apple/CUlt of Mac

The Apple Magic Mouse doesn’t go on sale very often, so don’t miss a rare deal from a pair of retailers that saves you 14% on the svelte input device for your Mac or iPad. This new Apple Magic Mouse Deal drops the price to just $67.99.

The sale is on the recently released USB-C version, not the older Lightning model, so it could be a good opportunity to upgrade.

How to make Google Translate your iPhone’s default translation app

By

Make Google Translate the iPhone default translation app
Google Translate can take on converting text into a language you can read.
Image: Cult of Mac

If Apple Translate doesn’t offer the languages you need, you can set Google Translate as your iPhone or iPad’s default translation app. Google’s translation app supports 249 languages, whereas Apple Translate currently can handle only 19.

That broad scope comes in handy if you regularly read materials written in languages that Apple Translate doesn’t cover. And Google Translate is not the only alternative translation app for iPhone.

Today in Apple history: AppleLink Personal Edition is the precursor to AOL

By

With AppleLink Personal Edition, Cupertino tried its hand at bringing the internet to the masses.
With AppleLink Personal Edition, Cupertino tried its hand at bringing the internet to the masses.
Photo: Apple Confidential

May 20 Today in Apple history May 20, 1988: Apple launches AppleLink Personal Edition, a user-facing online service that lets customers connect using a Mac-style user interface.

Years before Apple will get serious about its internet efforts, AppleLink offered a glimpse of things to come. Unfortunately for Apple, it did not become quite the hit many hoped!